-THE DRAGONFLY-

This ancient insect.. the Dragonfly, from the Romanian name "Drac" for both devil and dragon... combined and shifted during the translation to English.. seem prehistoric. They are a wonder to watch, and when the Dragonfly land on your SUP paddle or toe when sunbathing or visiting near water...you will become entranced!! Especially when they are mating and there are thousands floating over a calm lake at sunset. Most amazing is they will hover, fly backwards... and almost seem to wan to check you out with their 360 degree views.

Dragonfly's are an honored member of the Order Odonata. Odonata is an umbrella term for commonly known flying insects, such as the dragonfly and damselflies. Dragonfly's play numerous roles in multiple ecosystems. They do jobs like revealing changes in water ecosystems. How do they do this you may ask? Let me tell you a little bit...

Baby dragonfly's are called Nymphs, Nymphs contribute to water ecosystems. They are able to breath underwater, which is helpful for them to be able to eat harmful (and annoying) aquatic organisms such as mosquito larvae.

A more detailed information link is here:

https://whttps://www.treehugger.com/thmb/680leyfxSNNQC0la2drWfGxM6Mg=/750x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():format(webp)/4-bc3246043abe473ab750f039b5c70b53.jpgww.britannica.com/animal/dragonfly

A quote from research:

Dragonflies are flat-out terrifying if you're a gnat, mosquito, or other small bug. They don't simply chase down their prey; they snag them from the air with calculated aerial ambushes. Dragonflies can judge the speed and trajectory of a prey target and adjust their flight to intercept prey. They're so skilled they have up to a 97% success rate when hunting. Their "mandibles" or hands, are sharp enough to tear their prey during flight, but not sharp enough to bite a human....too cool.

This is my most favorite attachment to dragonflies....I hate mosquitos, and dragonflies take care of that problem all day long where I live near water. Other than dragonflies are an artist dream for color and graphics, taking care of the most pestiest of pest, mosquitos, I am most happy when I see the dragonfly hover nearby.

Check out your nearby water source...lake, river, pond, ocean...stay still and during a warm day you will likely see a dragonfly close by. Enjoy the view, and if you are lucky...one will land nearby you or on your hand to check you out.